Case Studies

Case Studies

Mold Behind the Dishwasher

Bryan Bingham

Tacoma, WA 98406

Problem: On a nice day Bryan and his wife went outside to enjoy the spring weather shortly after starting the dishwasher in the kitchen. While they were out on the patio they noticed water running down through a crawlspace vent near the location of where the dishwasher was located in the kitchen. After a short investigation they decided to call in the experts at AdvantaClean of the South Sound to determine the extent of the damage. Using a moisture meter, we quickly found that water had spread through half his kitchen and mold was growing rampant behind the dishwasher.

Solution: It was determined that the vinyl flooring and half the kitchen cabinets would have to be removed. First, containment and a HEPA Air Filtration machine was setup to prevent mold from further contaminating the other areas of the house. After removing the dishwasher, kitchen cabinets and vinyl flooring we found the damage to be significant. Investigation in the crawlspace found fungus growing on the wood below the dishwasher area. After a long day our team had removed and cleaned up all the mold. We also had to remove a significant portion of the plywood subfloor because of dry-rot issues. Fans and a dehumidifier were set up and left to dry the water saturated wood framing. The HEPA Air Filtration machine was left running to further clean the air of any mold spores that were suspended in the air. The final step was a thorough air duct cleaning to remove any mold spores that may have found their way into the air duct system before we had begun our work. An antimicrobial fogging was added to the duct work as a final precautionary measure. It was great news for the home owners to find that it was all covered by their homeowners insurance- even the duct cleaning.

While a project of this nature is almost always a huge inconvenience, in the end the homeowners were able to fully remodel their kitchen. They upgraded the cabinets and flooring as they had been thinking of doing for some time. A huge problem turned out to be a blessing in the end!

Attic Mold Remediation

Belfair, WA 98528

Problem: Mold had developed in the attic due a moisture problem caused by the combination of poor ventilation and the fact that air sealing of all ceiling penetrations was missing. These two factors allowed the warm moist air from the house to accumulate in the attic space. With cold January temperatures outside, condensation formed on the attic sheathing which allowed mold to grow over time.

Solution: Wood moisture content in the attic sheathing was very high so we first had to dry the space out with a combination of fans, a commercial dehumidifier, and heat. Attic insulation was removed in order to remove all the settled mold spores in the insulation. Spores are like seeds which can grow in the right conditions so it is important to get these "seeds" out of the space. Removing attic insulation also allows air sealing to be done prior to the insulation being re-installed. The mold remediation was conducted by HEPA vacuuming the entire attic space to remove as much mold as possible, applying a stain remover, and fogging an anti-microbial.

Master suite flood

Location: Tacoma, WA 98406

Problem: In early January, a flexible water supply line for a large soaker tub in the master bathroom suddenly broke. Fortunately, the home owner was home at the time and turned off the main water supply as quickly as possible. The bad news was a lot of water was released before the water could get shut off. The home owner was able to squeegee the majority of the standing water in the bathroom to the walk-in shower, and because the floor was tile, they didn’t think too much of it. No water they could see had made it to the hardwood floors in the bedroom. They called a plumber out to repair the broken supply line. After he had removed some tile from the built-in tub enclosure stand, he was able to access the supply lines and cap off the line so water could be turned back on. The plumber was not educated in structural drying and he mistakenly instructed them to run a small fan into the small hole he had created to access the plumbing under the tub to dry the area out. Unfortunately, the small fan was not nearly enough to prevent the problems that would soon be revealed. 2-3 weeks later the home owners noticed that the hardwood flooring in the master bedroom began to cup, crack and lift from the floor.

Solution: AdvantaClean of the South Sound was called out to assess the situation. After a thorough inspection both of the interior and the crawlspace below it was confirmed the that water had seeped under the hardwood floor in the bedroom and also under the tile in most of the bathroom. Our high-quality moisture meters displayed elevated moisture content in many areas even though a fan had been running for weeks. No mold was visible; however, we were concerned that due to the length of time the building material had been wet, there was mold growing in areas that were currently inaccessible.

The scope of work required setting up a large containment area and to place the work area under negative pressure so no disturbed mold spores could escape into the unaffected areas of the house. Next, we removed all the plumbing fixtures in the bathroom, trim, hardwood flooring, tile, and affected drywall. As the building materials were removed, black colored mold was found on the sheet rock and trim in areas on the opposite side of the room from the where the pipe had burst. Under the house we removed the insulation and cleaned the wood framing to remove any mold. Once all the demolition and mold remediation was completed, drying equipment set up to dry all the building materials out so mold could not continue to grow.

At that point, the process of putting it all back together began. Due to custom plumbing fixtures, intricate and extensive tile work, and other job complexities it took a while to get it all done. Now the home owners master bathroom and bedroom have a new and updated look they will enjoy for years to come.

Testimonial:We had a great experience with AdvantaClean of the South Sound, Jared Toppenberg, and his crew. I found their work and professionalism to be of a high caliber. We had a terrible leak in our master bath that caused the hardwood floor in the bedroom and all of the bathroom tile to be replaced. Part of the process involved making sure that all of the mold and moisture were eliminated. We have a whole new look and feel in our master suite now. I would not hesitate to use them again and will not hesitate recommending them to others.